Air treatment system
An air treatment system includes features for maximizing efficiency and effectiveness. In one embodiment, a sensor air passage utilizes a low pressure region created by the blower to draw air through the passage. In another embodiment, a filter frame includes a plurality of connectors formed integrally with the filter frame. In another embodiment, a screen is positioned adjacent to the blower intake. The screen includes a plurality of angled strands oriented in a particular direction. In another embodiment, a remote control holder is formed integrally with the housing. In another embodiment, a gasket is positioned between the blower and the housing, forming a seal between the blower and the housing.
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The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/456,984, filed Jul. 12, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/699,193 filed Jul. 14, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to air treatment systems, and more particularly to a portable room air filtering system.
Air treatment systems have grown in popularity in recent years. A growing concern for health and an increased recognition of the risks associated with unclear air are largely responsible for this trend. For example, airborne pollutants can cause or contribute to a number of respiratory problems, including respiratory infections, asthma, and allergies. Additionally, some airborne pollutants can cause undesirable odors. While air treatment systems are available in a wide variety of designs, a conventional air treatment system includes a blower that moves air through a filter element. The blower and filter element are typically contained in a housing and are arranged with the blower either drawing or pushing air through the filter element. A number of different filter elements with different filtering characteristics are commercially available. For example, particulate filters are available to remove particulate matter from air. A conventional particulate filter includes a substance, such as fiberglass or electret-type media, that traps particulate matter as air is passed therethrough. Another example, odor filters are available to remove odors from the air. A conventional odor filter includes activated carbon, or activated charcoal, which removes pollutants from the air primarily by adsorption.
As air treatment systems become more widely used, consumers are continually searching for systems that maximize efficiency while minimizing noise and size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe aforementioned problems are overcome by the present invention, wherein an air treatment system includes features for maximizing efficiency and effectiveness.
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a sensor air passage that utilizes a low pressure region created by the blower to draw air through the passage. The blower includes an inlet and an outlet, and is operable to draw air into the inlet and force air out of the outlet. A filter is positioned relative to the blower such that the blower is capable of drawing air through the filter. The sensor flow passage includes a sensor inlet, a sensor for sensing contamination of ambient air, and a sensor outlet. The sensor outlet is positioned relative to the blower outlet such that the air forced out of the blower outlet is forced to travel proximate to the sensor outlet. The air forced out of the blower outlet creates a low pressure region proximate to the sensor outlet to draw ambient air through the sensor flow passage. A method for drawing ambient air through a sensor air flow passage is also disclosed.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes filter having a filter media and a filter frame. The filter frame supports the filter media, and includes a plurality of connectors formed integrally with the filter frame. The connectors are adapted to removably attach the filter frame to the air treatment system.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a blower having an intake, a screen positioned adjacent to the blower intake, the screen including a plurality of angled strands, and means for locating the screen with respect to the blower such that the angled strands are oriented in a particular direction.
In another embodiment, the present invention include a remote control that is capable of controlling an operation of the air treatment system, a housing supporting a blower and a filter, and a remote control holder formed integrally with the housing. The remote control holder includes a recess capable of receiving and supporting the remote control.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a blower, a filter, and a housing. The blower includes an inlet and an outlet and is operable to draw air into the inlet and force air out the outlet. The filter is positioned relative to the blower such that the blower is capable of drawing air through the filter. The housing supports the blower and the filter. A gasket is positioned between the blower and the housing, forming a seal between the blower and the housing.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the current embodiment and the drawings.
An air treatment system according to one embodiment is illustrated in
The housing 12 is generally comprised of a front shield 30, a front trim piece 32, a filter housing 34, an outlet duct 36, and a rear shell 38. The housing 12 may be made from a wide variety of materials. As illustrated, the components of the housing 12 are formed from multiple pieces of plastic, however, some or all of the components may be formed as one integral piece. The front shield 30 and front trim piece 32 form the front portion 14 of the housing 12. The filter housing 34, outlet duct 36, and rear shell 38 form the rear portion 16 of the housing 12. As described in more detail below, the blower 18 draws external air through the front portion 14, through the various filters, and forces it out the rear portion 16.
As shown in
Referring now to
As shown in
The outlet duct 36 connects to a rear surface 106 of the filter housing 34 and defines a chamber 107 (shown in
As shown in
As described above and shown in
The rear shell 38 forms a rear surface of the air treatment system 10 and generally includes a pair of sidewalls 142 and 144 and an outer panel 146 extending between the sidewalls 142 and 144. As shown in
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 14-16, the system 10 may include a sensor 300 for monitoring specific conditions of the external, ambient air. The sensor 300 is linked to the control system 100 to provide the control system 100 with information regarding the ambient air. A wide variety of sensors may be used to monitor conditions such as particulates and chemicals in the ambient air. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor 300 is a compact particulate sensor, such as Model No. GP2Y1010AU made by SHARP. As illustrated, the sensor 300 is generally rectangular, and includes a front surface 302, a rear surface 304, a particulate through hole 306, and a terminal 308. Shown in
The remote control 200 is a battery-operated, infrared remote control 200 allowing remote operation of the system 10. The remote control 200 includes an upper surface 210, a lower surface 212 and first and second side edges 220, 222. The upper surface includes a plurality of control buttons 214 that allow full operation of the system 10. As shown in
As noted above and shown in
The odor filter 324 is seated within the filter housing 34 such that the outer edge of the odor filter 324 engages the peripheral flange 64 of the filter housing 34. The odor filter 324 is generally rectangular and is substantially coextensive with the peripheral flange 64. The odor filter 324 preferably includes a die-cut paperboard frame 330, an activated carbon medium (not visible).
The particulate filter 322 is installed within the system 10 to remove fine particulate matter from the air. The particulate filter 322 includes a filtering media 323 and a filter frame 84, and is seated against the filter housing 34, and sealed with a sealing bead 370. The filtering media 323 is preferably a pleated HEPA filter medium. This filtering media 323 can be replaced by a meltdown polypropylene, electret-type, fiberglass or other conventional media.
Referring now to
In operation, the particulate filter 322 is installed into the system 10 by inserting the protrusions 82 of the frame 84 into the slots 78 on the filter housing 34 with the top of the filter frame angled away from the filter housing 34. The top portion of the filter frame 84 is then rotated toward the filter housing 34 so the snap hooks 70 are aligned with the slots 68 near the top of the filter housing 34. The snap hooks 70 are inserted into the slots 68 such that the barbs 368 snap fit into the slots 68. The positioning and fit of the snap hooks 70 near the top of the filter frame 84 enable the sealing bead 370 to form an airtight seal with the filter housing 34. Removal of the particulate filter 322 is done by flexing the snap hooks 70 to disengage the barbs 368 and then rotating the filter frame 84 opposite the direction of insertion.
As noted above, the prefilter 320 removably attaches to the front surface 358 of the particulate filter frame 84 in order to remove relatively coarse particles from the air as the air enters the system 10. By removing coarse particulate matter, the prefilter 320 protects the particulate filter 322. The prefilter 320 includes a screen (not shown) secured to a polymeric support structure 392. In one embodiment, the screen is a woven polymer, but it may be wire mesh or another type of screen. The support structure 392 includes a plurality of mounting tabs 380 adapted to fit within the slot receptacles 372, 384 on the front surface 350 of the filter frame 84 to secure the prefilter 320 in place over particulate filter 322.
As noted above, the system 10 is operated by an electronic control system 100. As illustrated, the control system 100 is mounted to the top member 76 of the filter housing 34 and the upper edge 112 of the outlet duct 36, and includes a conventional circuit board having conventional DC motor control circuitry (not shown) that controls operation of the blower 18, conventional timing and recording circuitry (not shown) that monitors the life of the particulate and odor filters, conventional non-volatile memory (e.g. EPROM) (not shown) in which filter data in stored in the event of a power failure, and conventional input circuitry (not shown) that allows the user to select the desired operating parameters. The user operates the control system 100 by manipulation of a control panel 396 or the wireless remote control 200.
Air Flow PathIn operation, the blower 18 is actuated to draw external air into the system 10 through the front shield 30 and through the prefilter 320, particulate filter 322, and odor filter 324. As the air passes through the filters, each of the filters operate to remove particulates and odors from the air as described above. The air is then drawn in through the finger guard 90, front of the impeller 128, and forced radially outwardly through the side of the impeller 128 and into the chamber 107 in the outlet duct 36. The high velocity, filtered air is then forced upward and out of the second cutout 118 in the outlet duct 36 and exits the system 10 through the grill 206 in the rear shell 38. Air circulates around the room in which the system 10 is operated by flowing into the front of the system 10 and then upward and out the rear of the system 10.
As the high velocity, filtered air exits the system 10, it flows directly past the cutout 208 at the top of the rear shell 38 and past the air hole 170 of the sensor air passage 172. This high velocity air flow over the cutout 208 creates a low pressure region near the air hole 170 that acts to draw external, ambient air through the handle 168 and through the sensor air passage 172. In the illustrated embodiment, approximately 1/1000 of the air volume that is drawn through the system 10 is drawn through the sensor air passage 172. Because the sensor air passage 172 is sealed from the rest of the system 10, neither filtered nor unfiltered air from inside the system can enter the sensor air passage 172 to effect the information gathered by the sensor 300. Further, because the sensor air passage 172 is not positioned directly in the air flow path of the system 10, it does not reduce the amount of clean air delivered by the system and does not effect the efficiency of the system 10. Although described in connection with this particular air treatment system, this feature of using an air stream to create a low pressure area and draw air through a sensor may be otherwise incorporated into many different air treatment systems.
The above description is that of the current embodiment of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.
Claims
1. An air treatment system comprising:
- a filter media; and
- a filter frame including a front surface and a rear surface, said filter frame supporting said filter media, said filter frame including a plurality of snap hooks formed integrally with said filter frame, said snap hooks adapted to removably attach said filter frame to the air treatment system, wherein each of said snap hooks includes a first portion extending outwardly from said front surface, a curved portion extending from said first portion, and an elongated portion extending from said curved portion alongside said filter frame, said elongated portion including a barbed end that extends beyond said rear surface of said filter frame such that said snap hooks may be flexed and said barbed end is capable of extending into a slot on the air treatment system to secure said filter frame to the air treatment system.
2. The air treatment system of claim 1 wherein said filter frame, including said snap hooks, is a single piece of thermoplastic.
3. The air treatment system of said 2 wherein said filter frame includes a top frame member, a bottom frame member, and first and second side frame members, said filter media positioned within said top, bottom and first and second side frame members, said snap hooks formed integrally with at least one of said frame members.
4. The air treatment system of claim 1 including a housing, said housing including a plurality of second connectors, said second connectors adapted to connect to said snap hooks.
5. The air treatment system of claim 4 wherein said second connectors include at least one receptacle, said receptacle adapted to receive at least one of said snap hooks.
6. The air treatment system of claim 5 further including a prefilter, said prefilter including a prefilter frame, and at least one tab extending outwardly from said prefilter frame, said filter frame including at least one prefilter receptacle, said prefilter receptacle adapted to receive at least one of said tabs.
7. An air treatment system comprising:
- a housing having a first connector portion;
- a blower supported within said housing, said blower including a blower inlet and a blower outlet, said blower operable to draw air into said blower inlet and force air out of said blower outlet;
- a filter media positioned relative said blower such that said blower is capable of drawing air through said filter; and
- a filter frame, said filter frame extending around at least a portion of said filter media such that said filter media is fitted within said filter frame, said filter frame including a second connector portion formed integrally with said filter frame, said second connector portion interfitting with said first connector portion to secure said filter media to said housing, wherein said second connector portion includes at least one snap hook having a first portion extending outwardly from a front surface of said filter frame, a curved portion extending from said first portion, and an elongated portion extending from said curved portion alongside said filter frame, said elongated portion including a barbed end that extends beyond a rear surface of said filter frame such that said snap hook may be flexed and said barbed end is capable of extending into a slot on the air treatment system to secure said filter frame to the air treatment system.
8. The air treatment system of claim 7 wherein said filter frame is a one-piece, unitary frame formed from molded thermoplastic, said second connector portion molded integrally with said filter frame.
9. The air treatment system of claim 7 wherein the air treatment system includes a prefilter, wherein said filter frame includes a third connector portion, wherein said prefilter includes a fourth connector portion, said third connector portion and said fourth connector portion interfitting to secure said prefilter to said filter frame.
10. The air treatment system of claim 9 wherein said filter media is sandwiched between said prefilter and said blower.
11. The air treatment system of claim 7 wherein said filter frame is a one-piece unitary frame having a top frame member, a bottom frame member and first and second side frame members, wherein said first connector is a slot defined in said housing.
12. The air treatment system of claim 7 wherein said filter frame includes an alignment member extending from said filter frame, said housing defining a slot capable of receiving said alignment member, said slot and said alignment member positioned to align said first connector portion with said second connector portion.
13. A frame for supporting a filter media within an air treatment system, the frame comprising:
- a top frame member, a bottom frame member, a first side frame member and a second side frame member, said frame members collectively including an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite said interior surface, said interior surface defining an interior opening whereby said frame members are capable of receiving a filter media, said frame members collectively defining a front surface and a rear surface; and
- at least one snap hook formed integrally with one of said frame members, said snap hook capable of interfitting with the air treatment system to secure the frame to the air treatment system, wherein said at least one snap hook is a hook-shaped protrusion including a first portion extending outwardly from said front surface, a curved portion extending from said first portion, and an elongated portion extending from said curved portion alongside said one of said frame members, said elongated portion including a barbed end that extends beyond said rear surface such that said snap hook may be flexed and said barbed end is capable of extending into a slot on the air treatment system to secure the frame to the air treatment system.
14. The frame of claim 13 wherein the frame includes one said at least one snap hook extending from said front surface of said first side frame member and another said at least one snap hook extending from said front surface of said second side frame member.
15. The frame of claim 14 including at least one alignment protrusion extending from said exterior surface of said bottom frame member.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 7, 2009
Date of Patent: Nov 16, 2010
Patent Publication Number: 20090188218
Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Ada, MI)
Inventors: Bradley J. Pippel (Grandville, MI), Gregory K. Evans (Grand Rapids, MI), Michael E. Miles (Grand Rapids, MI)
Primary Examiner: Duane Smith
Assistant Examiner: Sonji Turner
Attorney: Warner Norcross & Judd LLP
Application Number: 12/419,484
International Classification: B01D 46/00 (20060101);